Lock indicator



May 28, 1957 J. A. TORNOE LOCK INDICATOR Filed June 9, 1952 INVENTOR.Jaw/v ,Jxe'z 72/V4i BY w {W United dtates harem 2,793,522 LOCK INDICATORJohn Axel Tornoe, San Francisco, Calif, assignor to .Schiage LockCompany, a corporation Application June 9, 1952, Serial No. 292,491

3 Claims. (Cl. 70-432) My invention relates primarily to door locks andis especially concerned with locks often used in public buildings suchas hotels wherein it is desirable or advisable to have some indicationon the lock of the condition of the lock; that is, whether it is inlocked condition or unlocked condition. An indicator on the key oroperating side of the lock is of little utility in some installations,but in other instances, for example in hotels, there is a need for anindicator of this sort. If the lock on a hotel room indicates from thehallway or the exterior of the room that the lock has been locked fromthe outside, then hotel attaches, such as maids or patrolmen, can assumethat the room is not ocupied.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a a lock indicatorto indicate the condition of the lock on the operating side of the lock.Another object of my invention is to provide a lock indicator affordingan indication close to the operating key for indicating the lockcondition.

Another object of my invention is to provide a lock indicator readilyinstalled in a lock cylinder mechanism.

A further object of my invention is to provide a lock indicator positivein operation and serving as an indicator both visually and by touch.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a generallyimproved lock indicator.

Other objects, together with the foregoing, are attained in theembodiment of my invention described in the accompanying description andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is afragmentary view, partly in section, of my lock indicator. The usualenvironment, a standard form of lock unit, is illustrated in phantomlines.

Figure 2 is an exterior end view of my lock indicator, portions of theenvironment not detailed in Figure 1 being illustrated in cross sectionon the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross section similar to Figure 2 but with theplane of section on the line 3 -3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross section similar to Figure 3 but with thesection on the line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view corresponding to the major portion ofFigure 1 but showing the lock indicator in an indicating position.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view like Figure 5 but showing a modified formof lock indicator.

In all of the views, many of the normally present standard lock partsare omitted in order to clarify the disclosure.

Lock indicators incorporated with the locks oi the general typedisclosed heerin are shown in the following United States patents:

Walter R. Schlage, 1,944,469, issued January 23, 1934 Walter R. Schlage,2,008,405, issued July 16, 1935 Walter R. Schlage, 2,018,093, issuedOctober 22, 1935 Walter R. Schlage, 2,293,856, issued August 25, 19422,793,52 Patented May 28, 1957 In the foregoing patents the disclosuresgenerally have to do with the provision of an indicating button visibleon one side of the door and projected or retracted in accordance withthe condition of the lock as controlled from the opposite side of thedoor. In the present instance, the indicator is for use in a lock of asimilar character. The lock unit is generally indicated by an outline 6representing the escutcheon 7 and a knob 8 relatively rotatable withrespect thereto. The lock unit contains a lock bolt or the like (notshown) actuated upon rotation of a cylinder bar 11 in the customary way.The knob 8 and escutcheon 7 are assumed to be located on the outside ofa hotel room door, for example, visible or accessible to the hotelstaif.

The cylinder bar 11 is associated with a tumbler housing 14 of generallycircular cylindrical contour interiorly to provide a passage 16 ofcircular cylindrical nature. The exterior of the tumbler housing islikewise approximately circular cylindrical except for a tumbler tongue17 containing some of the tumblers 181 utilized in connection with thekey 19 for operating the lock. The housing 14 including the tongue 17 isdisposed interiorly of the surrounding knob structure 8 and isrelatively nonrotatable with respect thereto. While in someinstallations the tumbler housing 14 moves, to serve as a datum pointherein, the tumbler housing 14 can be considered to be relativelystationary.

Disposed within and relatively rotatable with respect to the tumblerhousing 14 is a tumbler cylinder 21. This cylinder is primarily acircular cylindrical body having an enlarged flange 22 on its exteriorend butting against the end of the tumbler housing 14. The opposite endof the tumbler cylinder is provided with a reduced and threaded portion23. A threaded collar 24 having an inturned and internally serratedflange 26 thereon engages the threaded portion 23. The cylinder bar 11is provided with an enlarged disc end 27 preferably clamped between theend of the rotatable tumbler cylinder 21 and the internally turnedflange 25. In addition, a pin '23 engaging the serrations in the collar24 and extending into the relatively rotatable tumbler cylinder 21 locksthe cylinder, the disc 27, the collar 24, and the cylinder bar 11together for rotation in unison relative to the tumbler housing 14.Introduction of an appropriate key 19 adjusts the tumblers 18 in such afashion that the tumbler cylinder is accompanied by a comparablerotatively stationary tumbler housing 14. Rotation of the tumblercylinder is acompanied by a comparable rotation of the cylinder bar 11.

Since the rotation of the tumbler cylinder in one direction is utilizedto condition the lock to locked position and since rotation to anotherextreme position is utilized to condition the lock for its unlockedposition, I preferably utilize the relative rotation between the tumblercylinder and the tumbler housing for affording an appropriate indicationof the lock condition. For this reason, I provide in the tumblercylinder 21 a passage 31 extending entirely through the tumbler cylinderand variously contoured at various points along its length. At anintermediate portion, the interior of the passage 31 is bounded byinternal threads 32 engaged by a threaded portion 33 of an indicator pin34. The pin itself at one end has a circular cylindrical terminus 36designed to be retracted into a location substantially flush with thevisible face 37 of the end flange 22 of the tumbler cylinder 21. In itsother position, the pin is projected, as shown in Figure 5, to extendsubstantially from the visible face 37. In fact, the projection of thepin terminus 36 is preferably sufficient so that it is readily visibleand so that even if the lock cannot be seen a person by feeling the face37 of the tumbler cylinder can detect by touch whether or not the pinterminus 36 is projected or retracted.

The circular cylindrical pin terminus 36 is freely slidable in'a'comparable portion of the passage 31. An additional bearing for the pinis provided by an enlarged collar 38 on the pin operating in acomparably enlarged portion of the passage.

As the pin 34 is rotated with respect to the tumbler cylinder 21, it isaxially, translated so as to projector retract. To ensurean'appropriate' relative rotation between the pin and the tumblercylinder, there is provided a mechanism including a, squared portion 39at the opposite extremity of' the pin from the indicating terminus 36.

- Engaging thesquared portion 39 is the squared interior cavity 41 of ahub42 of a pinion gear 43' journaled in the body of the tumbler cylinder21. The hub 42 is confined against axial translation in one directionsince the pinion gear 43 is somewhat larger in diameter than the hub andbears" on one side against the subjacent face of the tumbler cylinder21. In order otherwise to confine the pinion gear to rotation, itstranslation in the opposite'directi'on is preventedby a thrust washer44. As especially seen in Figure 3, this washer is a ring fitting overthe treaded portion 23- of the tumbler cylinder and bearing against oneend'ofthe tumbler housing 14.

Along its inner periphery, the ring 44 is provided with a projection 46-extending radially inward through a slot 45 in the cylinder 21 andoverlying a portion at least of thepinion gear 43. The projection servesas a confining abutment for the gear as-the washer 44 itself is heldagainst motion when the flange collar 24 is screwed tightly intoposition on the tumbler cylinder. The tightness of the collar 24 is suchthat the cylinder is freely rotatable within the housing but no excessend movement of the washer 44 or of the gear pinion 43 is permitted. Thepinion gear 43 is rotated relative to the tumbler cylinder since it isin mesh constantly with a ring gear 47 (Figure 4)' formed internallywithin the extreme portion of the interior of. thetumbler housing 14.

The disposition of all ofthese parts is such that they clear the variousother parts of the key mechanism or look mechanism normally included inthe tumbler cylinder as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

When the lock is unlocked, as illustrated in Figure 1, the indicatorterminus 36 is substantially flush with the exterior face of the tumblercylinder 21. When the key 19 is turned and so-turns the cylinder bar 11to lock the lock, the tumbler cylinder is rotated relative to theturnbler housing 14 and the pinion gear 43is rotated as a planet gearwithin the internal ring gear 47. The rotation of the. pinion gear withrespect to the tumbler cylinder 21. rotates the pin: 34 due to thesquared connecti0ns39 and 41.

During relative rotation, the pin 34 is revolved about its own axis and,because of the connection between the threads 32 and 33, causesan axialmovement in the'pin into its projected position as shown in Figure 5. Anindication that the lock is locked from the outside or'from theside-carrying the key 19 is therefore available either visually or bytouch. When the lock is again unlocked a' reverse relative rotationtakes-place between the tumbler' cylinder and the tumbler housing andthe indicator pin 34' is not only rotated but is axially withdrawn toits starting position. There is thus provided a lock indicator showingthe condition of the lock at any time and available on the same side ofthe lock that is actuated.

As an alternative arrangement, the parts can be so disposed, as shown inFigure 6, that the pin in one position is retracted below the surface37. The other extreme position of the pin is then flush with the surface37. If a still further variation is desired, the pin can be retractedbelow the surface for one extreme position, projected above the surfacefor another extreme position and considered to be in an intermediate orneutral position when it is flush with the surface 37. This isaccomplished with the Figure 6 structure by positioning the adjacentparts, such as the collar 38' and the terminus 36', so that they occupythe desired relative positions with regard to the cylinder 21'.

What is claimed is:

1. A lock indicator comprising a tumbler housing having acircular-cylindrical opening therein, a tumbler cylinder disposed insaid opening and rotatable thereinrelative to said tumbler housing, saidtumbler cylinder having a passage therethrough, at least a portion ofsaid passage being threaded, a threaded pin in said passage engaging thethreads therein, a pinion gear journalled in said tumbler cylinder,means for transmitting rotation of said pinion gear to said pin, and aring gear on saidtumbler housing in mesh with said pinion gear.

2. A lock indicator comprising a tumbler housing, a tumbler cylinderrotatable within said housing, said tumbler cylinder having a passagetherethrough, at least a portion of said-passage being threaded, athreaded pin in said passage engaging the threads therein, there being asquared portion on said pin, a pinion gear confined to rotation in saidtumbler cylinder, said pinion gear having. a. squared portion engagingthe squared portion of said pin, and a ring gear on said tumbler housingin mesh with said pinion gear.

3. A look indicator comprising a stationary lock portion, a movableportion adapted to receive a key therein and having an external keyreceiving face, an indicator screw threadedly connected to saidmovableportion and movable with respect to said face at right angles tothe latter, a pinion gear rotatably supported in said movable portionand a ring gear carried by said stationary portion for rotatingsaid'pinion gear upon movement of said movable portion, a telescopicdriving connection between said pinion gear and said indicator for somoving the latter upon rotation of said pinion gear.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS455,457 Beasley July 7, 1891 867,175 Voight Sept. 24, 1907 1,445,444Liebmann Feb. 13, 1923 1,454,020 Teich May 1, 1923 1,674,514 Jacobi June19, 1928 1,675,737 Teich July 3, 1928 1,944,469 Schlage Jan. 23, 19342,036,764 Lowe u Apr. 7, 1936 2,315,102 Adams Mar. 30, 1943

